(ABUJA)
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the millions off unemployed youths as a keg of gun power waiting to explode.
He said in the midst of dwindling resources from oil revenue the quickest means to generate jobs was through agriculture and minning.
While admitting that the expectations of Nigerians were high, Buhari called for more prayers for divine help to enable he and his team meet the high expectations.
President Buhari said this at the Inauguration Gala organised at the Presidential Villa on Friday night, where he also regretted that the nation’s earnings from 1999 till date have not translated into sustainable development, thereby leaving the country in deep trouble and debts.
The President also sought the support of Europe, United States and Nigeria’s neighbours towards the country’s development.
The support, he said, will especially be in the areas of tackling the unemployment and security problems confronting the nation.
He also ceased the occasion to thank African and world leaders that came to Nigeria to witness the inauguration of the new government.
“We have realised our problems, we have made the sacrifice. Nigerians pray a lot. We need to pray even more for luck so that their expectations are deeply helped especially the youths,” he declared.
Buhari added: “I know that more than 65 percent of Nigeria’s population are youths. Most of them are not employed whether they have been to school or not. This is the keg of gun powder we are sitting on.”
According to him, “Nigeria’s friends from Europe and America have spoken to me personally and in Africa. They have known our troubles in this country and they are the troubles we identified which I mentioned during my campaign throughout the country.
“Firstly, security. The country has to be secured and efficiently managed. This is what APC is all about. That’s why the legacy parties made the sacrifice of jettisoning their personal ambitions, trying to come together and took the bull by the horn and therefore brought it down and slaughtered it literally.”
President Jonathan also promised that his administration would immediately act to secure the country, noting that towards this, it would soon articulate a programme of action after reading the handover notes given to him by the previous administration.
While reiterating his gratitude to Cameroon, Niger and Chad “for physically coming in helping us” in the war of terror, the president said: “We are going to articulate our requirements when we study the handover notes from the previous government and consult our immediate neighbours and then consult our friends in Europe and America to help us.
“We have identified the quickest way to go about it, agriculture and mining, to feed ourselves, to get everybody employed and in the process, earn skills. We are going to do that.
“And God willing, the cooperation promised by our friends and the understanding displayed now by our elite, will make it possible for us to make progress.
“We have made our point to Nigerians and to our friends that we will try and secure Nigeria as soon as possible.”
Buhari appealed to Nigerians to show understanding with his government as he noted that a lot of damage had been done to the country since 1999 whereas the present administration was expected to do more with less resources.
The president stated: “And I ask Nigerians, please, bear with us. A lot of damage has been done.
“If you can recall what Nigeria earned between 1999 and now, what was the condition of our infrastructure in 1999, what is it now, how come that what we earned is not physically translated into sustained development?
“It is now on us with less resources in terms of debt servicing, less revenue from oil to do much more. But I believe with the cooperation of Nigerians and the cooperation of developed countries and with our natural resources and with our talents, I believe we will make a lot of progress.”
Buhari criticised past elections conducted in the country, noting that politicians simply wrote election results in their sitting rooms and announced them to the media.
He expressed delight that the situation has now changed with the introduction of technology such as the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and the Card Reader (CR) in the nation’s election process.
He said, “For us in Nigeria to somehow realise this seriousness and agreed to stand firm with the help of technology, the PVC (Permanent Voter Card) and the CR (Card Reader) because the previous exercises, it was the same motion we went through.
“Those that think they are important, they sit in their sitting rooms or party headquarters, write results, go to the radio houses and television houses and announce results and say whoever didn’t agree should go to court.
“If people are struggling for the next mill, not even tomorrow’s meal, how can they go to court?
“I went to court three times and ended up in the Supreme Court with the help of Nigerians because they believed in this system and God in His infinite mercy has made it possible this year.”
The Gala Night was attended by some foreign leaders, Nigerian past leaders, members of the Diplomatic Corps, captains of industry and other important personalities.
Meanwhile, close to 2,000 guests turned up for the inaugural gala night that was spiced with cultural display, comedy and musical performance by Korode Bello, Joy Mindapa and Akpororo.
According to one of the officials, while the state banquet was prepared for about 800 officially invited guests including international guests, those that turned out also with invitation cards obtained illegally tripled those inside the hall.
The guests became restive when the security personnel refused them entry into the hall.
The car park was so full and couple with indiscriminate driving, that it was a herculean task driving out when the gala night was over.
Some of those who turned up who had hitherto had it smooth seeing President Buhari outside the Villa, expressed their shocks and disappointed that they were being fenced by security operatives.
THE SUN
